This past weekend,Dwayne Johnsontook to Instagram to share the story of howlosing out on the role of Jack Reacherled directly to him landing a part in theFast & Furiousfranchise. That part of Hobbs inFast Five, of course, became a fan-favorite, and Johnson’s long-promised Hobbs spinoff finally arrived last year in the form ofHobbs & Shaw. The actioner, which drew from iconic 80s buddy movies as it teamed Hobbs up with frenemy Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), was a hit, grossing over $760 million worldwide. So it came as no surprise to learn that aHobbs & Shaw 2is now in the works.
In the same Instagram video in which Johnson recounted the story of not getting the Jack Reacher role, the performer let slip a few tantalizing details about theHobbs & Shawsequel. First and foremost,Chris Morganis back writing the screenplay. Morgan has been basically the architect of theFast & Furiousfranchise for years. His first foray withFast & FuriouswasTokyo Drift, and he wrote everyFastmovie after that up throughThe Fate of the Furious. He did not write the upcomingF9, with rumors swirling thatVin Dieselwas maybe none too happy that Morgan opted to co-write Johnson’s spinoffHobbs & Shaw, but no matter. He’ll be back to continue on with theHobbs & Shawfranchise.
Johnson also teased the inclusion of more characters, notably not just villains whose ass Hobbs will kick, but a variety of colorful characters that expand the world ofHobbs & Shaw:
“Chris Morgan, of course, will write again, Seven Bucks Productions will produce again. We created a lot of great characters, from Vanessa Kirby’s character to Idris Elba, and Eiza Gonzalez. And now in this next installment we have a few more surprises and great characters to create. Not characters that Hobbs can just kick the shit out of, because that’s boring, but characters I think that you guys are gonna fall in love with. Villains, anti-heroes, and heroes all across the board.”
The sequel isn’t yet dated, and Johnson already has a full dance card for the foreseeable future. He was in the midst of filming the Netflix movieRed Noticewhen the coronavirus hit and shut down production, and had planned on finally filming his DC Films debutBlack Adamthis summer. There’s alsoanotherJumanjimoviein the early stages of development, but Universal no doubt seesHobbs & Shaw 2as a priority so I would expect that one to hit sooner rather than later. Perhaps in 2022, a year afterF9? Of course it all depends on how long this shutdown lasts, and what happens once folks can safely go back to work.
Anywho, check out Johnson’s full Instagram video below. It’s well worth a watch.
